Andrew Page has bought key Parts Alliance member Camberley Auto Factors (CAF) for an undisclosed sum.
With the most branches in the Parts Alliance, CAF adds 29 locations to Andrew Page which now has a network of more than 90 sites.
The CAF acquisition sees Andrew Page leapfrog GSF in size and gives the company an immediate, strong presence in the south of England and along the M4 corridor towards Wales and the West Country. Parts Alliance members in these areas include Mill Autoquip and GMF.
The purchase is a huge step in Andrew Page’s ambition to create a national network. Andrew Page Limited, Managing Director Mark Roberts said. “The management team here is delighted to announce the acquisition of Camberley Auto Factors.
“The senior management team and our loyal staff look forward to working with the Camberley team to create the UK’s most successful independent motor factor. We now anticipate building on this success and continuing our national growth strategy with our new Chairman, Duncan Wilkes, together with the team at Phoenix working alongside usâ€.
There is no immediate rebranding of CAF sites. Camberley Auto Factors Managing Director Dave Russell said. “It will be very much business as usual over the coming months as we continue to trade as Camberley Auto Factors. However, we anticipate that the strengths of the two companies combined will increasingly enable us to offer an even better service and enhanced and extended range of products and servicesâ€.
Ex-Halfords Nationwide Autocentres boss Duncan Wilkes is also announced as the new Chairman of Andrew Page. John Rastrick of Phoenix commented. “We are delighted to support Andrew Page with the acquisition of Camberley Auto Factors. We see substantial further growth potential for the business and are committed to supporting the company to achieve this. We are also very pleased with the appointment of Duncan Wilkes who joins the board at an exciting time in its developmentâ€.
Founded in 1946, Andrew Page entered into a partnership with Phoenix Equity Partners in March 2010.
I agree with Topgun, but the company that Pages has become is a long way from what it was, I worked there for nearly 10 years, and the Team we had in all departments was the best, yes there were arguments and disagreements but we all pulled together, we got a pay-rise year on year, not a fortune but enough to keep up with inflation e.t.c, we were treated well and in turn we pulled in the results, but once Andrew left the muppet’s that are Phoenix investments took over, with a bunch or half baked ideas that simply did not work, pay rises stopped and for the last 5 years it was a different excuse every year, it got to the point where the only excuse left was ” no pay-rise this year……my dog ate it”!
yet we would see the ‘suits’ arrive from head office in a flashy new Jag or Mercedes and that’s where our pay-rise was going, when I finally had enough I handed my notice on and the management tried to get me to stay, a regional director even got involved and when I stated I had a family and I couldn’t afford to work there anymore he gave me the reply that even pay rises at director level had been frozen, which I responded that no pay-rise to him meant no skiing holiday to Valdez ere this year, where as for the likes of the rock-face staff it meant beans on toast for a month, no holiday at all that year etc etc, it is a real shame as I did have a passion for the company and what it stood for but those inept b*****ds at the top don’t have a clue and couldn’t run for a bus let alone run a company, they couldn’t sell if their lives depended on it
I have worked for C.A.F for a number of years now and initially welcomed the takeover, as things had been allowed to slip at my branch, so new blood, fresh ideas etc, all good!
But I have to say now, Andrew Page seem far too focused on pen pushing, paperwork and quite ridiculous and totally irrelevant ideas!
Surely one should concentrate on customer service as a priority, closely followed by branch efficiency, competitive price structuring, and perhaps, just perhaps try and treat your members of staff as decent human beings and not so much of this “them and us” rubbish!
For far too long now I have watched as sales staff are allowed and in some cases, encouraged to belittle and berate the delivery drivers, who it seems are considered to be second rate citizens and who end up taking the majority of blame for stupid mistakes that all originate from said sales team!
Then we move on to pay scales, how is it that the so called sales team receive bonuses? Paid for reaching branch targets? Yet all they are in fact are telesales! Answer a phone, punch in a few details on a computer keyboard, and that’s it! Hardly a fair and balanced situation, it’s not as if they are creating sales at all, simply answering calls and even that is rarely done either in a reasonable time frame or mistakes are being made, too many mistakes!
Yet I state again, Andrew Page are content to come along with all these ridiculous ideas, per work, paperwork and yet more paperwork, tick here, sign here, sign there, do this do that, etc etc, my god! CONCENTRATE ON CUSTOMER SERVICE FIRST AND BRANCH EFFICIENCY!
Take a look at very recent incidents of key members of staff at various branch locations that have handed in their notice to quit, most of which have been loyal members of staff with C.A.F for many years, they have simply reached the end of their tether with Andrew Page, does this not tell you something is wrong here? So many can see it, so many are experiencing it but too afraid of saying anything. But it appears that this is part and parcel of the situation, get rid of all the decent, reliable, trustworthy staff and replace them with zero hour contract staff, so they can be pushed around and have the real threat of having no job hanging over them.
Yes, what a great, forward thinking company to work for! I think not!
If you still think that I am nothing more than a disgruntled employee, think again, get out there and speak to the customer, that is if you can find any of the original long standing customers left to speak too, I have seen so many turn to other suppliers, even my branch manager has started to show signs of buckling under the constant pressures coming from Andrew Page, along with a large percentage of the branches entire workforce, so no, not disgruntled just extremely disappointed and pretty fed up with this nonsense and bully boy tactics!
One of the biggest sales in current times and nobody has a comment to make? Perhaps we’re all to busy “enjoying” the Olympics.